All in Due Time…
If you read our newsletter frequently, you may recall how excited we were about our connection with The IF Project. In December 2020 we announced our formal partnership; in February I wrote about participating in their Writers’ Workshops. Then suddenly things went inexplicably quiet. What we know now is that they underwent a major reorganization. It would have been easy to believe they became indifferent about our work together and give up. However, the thing that drew our organizations together initially – to be of authentic service to women who are or recently had been incarcerated — remained. As a result, I am pleased to report we have reconnected and are discussing ways for Soul Seeds to help support their new Health & Wellness programming.
What a reminder to trust the process that is both seen and unseen! One of my favorite quotes is from Patrick Overton. “When you come to the edge of all the light you have and are about to step off into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing one of two things will happen: there will be something solid to stand on, or you will be taught how to fly.” I love the metaphor of being taught how to fly. How often do we set aside a project, relationship, or dream because we cannot see how it could possibly happen? How consistently do we dwell in possibility and hope and trust? If your answer is, “Not very often,” then join the club!
When we trust the process, it allows for other paths to unfold. At this point in the year, we imagined being several months into shared programming with The IF Project. Instead, other opportunities have arisen. We have delved deeper into approaches to understanding mental health and trauma. The powerful film featuring Dr. Gabor Maté, The Wisdom of Trauma (next broadcast is July 28 – August 1) sets out his vision is of “a trauma-informed society in which [we] …are not concerned with fixing behaviors, making diagnoses, suppressing symptoms and judging, but seek instead to understand the sources from which troubling behaviors and diseases spring in the wounded human soul.” Those of us with Soul Seeds feel the resonance with that approach as we seek to bring healing support that reconnects individuals with their innate wisdom and capacity to love themselves, touching the light of the “wounded human soul.”
We’re beginning to feel the movement of energy around our work! We’re connecting with more community partners interested in bringing us in to support their staff and their clients. Two more volunteers will be hosting Healing Our Community gatherings this month. We’ve discussed volunteer opportunities with Dakoda Fox, who is singlehandedly combating youth homelessness in Pierce County (WA) through her organization, the Power of Two. We have begun to consider how to continue our equity work by adding more structure in programming and in our engagement with our Board and our volunteers. Many paths unfolding.
And, in this month’s biggest news, we anticipate the return of Free Healing Fridays in September. We are grateful for the volunteer healers who have remained committed to the program. We recently started meeting again and had a wonderful session in June when we traded healings with one another in breakout rooms on Zoom. We can’t wait to see everyone in person!
As I write, the song Turn! Turn! Turn! (The Byrds rendition) is playing in my head. “To everything/ turn, turn, turn/There is a season/turn, turn, turn/And a time to every purpose under heaven.” Everything is in alignment. Everything happens for a reason. All in due time. It is much easier to release and let go when we believe we’re being taught how to fly!
Melanie Davis-Jones (she/her/hers)
Executive Director
In Case You Missed It:
Remember the Sunshine of Your Soul | Video by Nancy Rebecca, Soul Seeds Founder and Board President
Nancy’s interview with Soul Seeds volunteer, Kathleen Dowd
Resources:
Mental Health First Aid “teaches people how to recognize signs of mental health or substance use challenges in adults, how to offer and provide initial help, and how to guide a person toward appropriate care if necessary. Topics covered include anxiety, depression, psychosis, and addictions.”
July is BIPOC Mental Health Month, created to “bring awareness to the unique struggles that underrepresented groups face in regard to mental illness in the U.S.” (BIPOC stands for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color and is pronounced “by-pock.”)
The Global Humanitarian Overview 2021 (GHO) is “the world’s most comprehensive, authoritative and evidence-based assessment of humanitarian need. Through plans that prioritize those most in need, it aims to fight hunger, killer diseases, gender-based violence and displacement.”
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